BANGKOK, May 26, 2016 — The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the election of Andrew Jones, Guardian – Sanctuary Resorts, Hong Kong SAR, as Chairman of the Association’s Executive Board. He replaces Kevin B Murphy who was elected Chairman in April 2015 and who remains a member of the Executive Board as Immediate Past Chairman.

Andrews Jones said, “It is especially meaningful to me to be elected to the position of Chairman of PATA during this 65th anniversary year of the Association. During this time, after a long career in hospitality, I also celebrate my 65th year on the planet. In leading and guiding PATA in the coming year, my focus will be on the continual and future enhancement of the Association. In taking on this role I commit to pro-actively working with the Executive Board, management team and our members to continue the good work of PATA. I want us to deliver on our promised advocacy themes, especially Human Capital Development, and to encourage membership development and involvement while supporting the responsible and sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region and globally for the betterment of our communities and society.”

Over the past 45 years he has worked in numerous senior management and corporate positions for prestigious hotels, resorts and management companies in London, Bermuda, Canada, Hong Kong SAR and across Asia. In 1996 he founded and became the Guardian of Sanctuary Resorts, a resort management company creating responsible and sustainable tourism experiences where people can balance their body, mind and spirit in an environmentally friendly space.

A Certified Hotel Administrator of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, and a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, Andrew was previously a member of the Board of the Indian Ocean Tourism Organization and Director, Asia Pacific Affairs for the International Hotel and Restaurant Association.

Andrew is a leading proponent of Corporate Social Responsibility and Wellness in Tourism and is a knowledgeable keynote speaker, moderator and panelist on matters of responsible and sustainable tourism at many hotel, environment and social enterprise forums and conferences as well as at universities and vocational schools.

He believes in contributing directly to the community in which he lives and is Chairman Emeritus of the KELY (Kid’s Everywhere Like You) Support Group, a Past President of the Rotary Club of Kowloon, and a supporter of numerous other charitable organisations and social ventures in Hong Kong SAR.

On the election of the new Executive Board PATA CEO Mario Hardy said, “PATA is committed to ensuring diversity, equality and empowerment in the workplace and I commend our members in electing a diverse Executive Board in representing them. It is important that we lead by example as we want to show our partners and industry colleagues what leadership is truly about and encourage them to follow suit. I congratulate our new Executive Board members on their appointments and I look forward to working with them in creating a better organisation for our members that can make an even greater impact on the travel and tourism industry.”

Sarah Mathews was elected as the new Vice Chairperson. Stephen Pearce was elected Secretary/Treasurer in place of Basant Mishra, Executive Chairman – Temple Tiger Group of Companies in Nepal who had held the position since April 2014.

Miss Mathews, together with her team of four, is responsible for leading TripAdvisor’s efforts and initiatives in collaboration with and providing support to tourism boards across Asia Pacific as well as developing strategies that drive awareness for each destination. Her insights into the regional travel industry have made her a consistent figure in trade shows and conferences where she shares case studies and best practices of key industry players.

Having joined TripAdvisor in the London office back in 2012, Sarah Mathews then managed key clients across Europe, Asia and Africa, building close relationships with tourism boards including South Africa Tourism and Greek National Tourism Organization. Her work with South Africa Tourism is reflected in a case study that was featured in the recently published UNWTO-E Marketing Handbook.

Born and raised in Hong Kong SAR Miss Mathews is proficient in Chinese and has spent most of her life living in Hong Kong SAR, Beijing and Australia, allowing her to have an in-depth understanding of the region’s cultural needs and sensitivities. Prior to joining TripAdvisor she worked at the Hong Kong Tourism Board (based in London) and Visit Flanders where she managed international marketing for the respective destinations.

Sarah Mathews said, “It is a great honour to have been elected as the new Vice Chairperson. For the past four years TripAdvisor has been working closely with PATA to help shape the Asia Pacific travel industry. My aim is to continue to support PATA and its members so that we can understand and traverse the ever evolving travel space. As Vice Chairperson I will be supporting the Executive Board to ensure that PATA continues to lead the way.”

Stephen Pearce is a strategic marketer with over thirty years of experience in destination marketing and development. He sees himself as a change-agent; negotiating and implementing strategic alliances and partnerships with public and private businesses to compete effectively. Curiosity, risk, creativity and innovation define his approach to market synthesis and development. Stephen has worked with public and private companies across Canada. He joined Tourism Vancouver in 2001 and is currently Vice President, Marketing.

Danny Ho, Executive Chef – Pastry, Hotel ICON, Hong Kong SAR and the 2016 PATA Face of the Future, joins the PATA Executive Board as a non-voting member and observer for a one-year term at the invitation of the PATA Chairman.

The new Executive Board members were confirmed at the PATA Board Meeting on May 21, 2016 during the PATA Annual Summit 2016 in Guam, USA.

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About PATAFounded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, comprising 95 government, state and city tourism bodies, 29 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 63 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 41 local PATA chapters worldwide. The chapters organise travel industry training and business development events. Their grassroots activism underpins PATA’s membership of the Global Travel Association Coalition (GTAC), which includes ACI, CLIA, IATA, ICAO, WEF, UNWTO and the WTTC. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing, Sydney and London.